[WORLD CUP TODAY: Wednesday] In his first comments since arriving in Brazil after scouting Ghana Monday night in Miami, Jurgen Klinsmann said he wasn't overawed by the Black Stars. Just forget for now about the idea, though, of the USA winning the World Cup. Read the whole story

[VIDEO PICK: Golazo] While waiting for the World Cup host and favorite to launch its campaign on Thursday, we offer a sneak preview from training in which Neymar and defender Marcelo connect crisp passes that end with a spectacular goal. Read the whole story

[SOCCER ON THE AIR] Overlooked for a spot on the U.S. World Cup team, Landon Donovan will work for ESPN and ABC as an analyst, contributing from their studios in Los Angeles. He made his debut Wednesday during ESPN's two-hour FIFA World Cup Preview. Read the whole story

[WORLD CUP PREVIEW: Thursday] Brazil, record five-time winner and the only nation to play in all World Cups, hasn't lost its opening game of the tournament since it fell, 2-1, to Yugoslavia in 1930. Throw in the fact that a host team has never lost its opening game in 19 ... Read the whole story

[CROWD COUNT] Twenty international friendlies involving World Cup finalists were played on U.S. soil over the last two weeks. The games averaged 29,695 fans. Not unexpectedly, the three largest crowds involved the Mexican national team. The crowds ranged from 84,876 for Mexico-Ecuador in Arlington, Texas, to 4,139 for Ghana-South Korea ... Read the whole story

[MLS TRANSACTIONS] Spanish midfielder Gorka Larrea joined the growing contingent of Spaniards in MLS when he signed with the Montreal Impact on Wednesday. The 30-year-old Larrea is one of nine Spaniards currently on MLS rosters, all signed in 2013 or 2014. Read the whole story

[BRAZIL 2014] Here are 503 places Soccer America readers recommend where you should watch the World Cup and enjoy all the excitement. They include locations in all 50 states plus the District of Columbia. Share your World Cup watch photos using the hashtag #WorldCupWatchParty. Read the whole story

"We shall wonder if one day our game is played on the other planets. Why not? And then we won't have only a World Cup, we will have interplanetary competitions." -- President Sepp Blatter, deflecting problems on the FIFA front to -- well -- outer space. (Wall Street Journal) ...More

1. Will the USA get out of Group G? Yes. Never has a U.S. team entered the World Cup with this kind of momentum. Within in the last two years: a
record 12-game win streak, qualifying with two games to spare, a Gold Cup title, a sweep of its three send-off games. The USA ties or beats Ghana. Against Portugal, coming off a loss to Germany,
the USA succeeds with counterattacks. The USA ties Germany, which has already clinched first place. ...More